deadline

deadline day tomorrow and i have made a timed list over everything i have left to do!

Work on the stand that i forgot to post!

This is just some work on the stand which i forgot to post. I pleated up digital prints and placed them onto the central panel of a toile to get an idea of what it would look like with that detail.

Final Garment

I'm pretty much almost done with my final garment now. It has the same panelling idea but i have split the central panel into sections for my digital prints. This has again added another complex element to it, and directly links to my sketchbook as it is a print from my own photographs.

Digital Prints.

I have digitally printed these designs for the middle section of my garment. They have come out so nicely and im realllllllly pleased with them!!!!!

Dyeing disaster !!!!!!

So its literally a week until final deadline, and today has been the most stressful day yet. Having bought 11 metres of fabric yesterday, in hopes i would be ready to dye and cut out today, i have had an absolute nightmare.

I spent a full day sampling and mixing different colours until I found the right one. Having so much fabric meant I would have to use the dye bath, but that proved problematic within itself. The allocated print room assistant for the dye bath wasn’t available when I needed to do it, and none of the other staff knew how to properly work it. Eventually they got hold of her and figured it out. The bath took an hour to heat up, and I then had to add my dye. I then put my fabric into the bath and stirred it for around 30 minutes. I noticed the dye wasn’t taking to the fabric but instead my white jersey had been stained by blue and red dyes. This was due to the bath not being cleaned by the last user. I took the fabric out and put it through a rinse and a dry but the stains wouldn’t budge. I had to salvage the bits that were useable from the fabric and cut out my pattern pieces. The next day I did further sampling of dyes in the lab and found a colour that worked well with my three choices of fabrics. This time I decided to just do it in the pan to avoid any mess. Thankfully it turned out okay and the pieces only have a few little blue stains on them.

ANOTHER toile

This is my fourth pattern manipulation for FMP. This time i have split the pattern into nine panels, and two on the back with a seam down the CB. The fabrics i used were a sheer light brown, a linen and a muslin. This is because after the last full length toile i did in the jersey, i realised how difficult it is to work with. The pattern itself is perfect, im really really happy with it and think im going to use it as my final one. Obviously my end garment will be maxi length but i cant really do it for cost reasons on every toile.

Third toile on a different fabric with different panels. Again i think the panels give the garment more depth and make it look more interesting. The panels add the simplistic/complex elements to my garment which is the basis of my project.

Second Toile.

I have been fabric shopping AGAIN and bought some which i feel will be closer to what i actually want to use. It is a light jersey and hangs a lot nicer than the cotton used on the first toile. For this one, i begun paneling. I once again used the previous pattern as a basis, traced it off then panelled the whole piece into sections. I definitely think this works better as it adds something to a rather simple pattern.

Carried on with sketchbook work today, checking that all my annotation was up to scratch and properly explained each development within my project. I have also made a start on my Unit 85 file, and so far have collected 13 artists. I aim to collect between 20-30 artists and have at least 5 historical examples.

I have also completed PPD, Copyright and Health & Safety which is a massive weight off my shoulders. Mike marked the PPD and has given me a distinction which is really good!

Pattern Construction

My final design is meant to be very loose fitted. Therefore i have looked into designing a box shape maxi dress that will be in a fabric that hangs well. I have got the inspiration for the pattern from a light jumper of mine, and today i begun to construct it.

This is the first toile i have made:


To begin with, I traced off the mens shirt block (to make the garment oversized). I extended the lines on the block, and I then squared off the pattern so it ended up with a right angle where the shoulder point meets the side seam. I cut out two of the front pattern, and two of the back. I then sewed up the CF for the front pieces and up the CB for the back pieces. After i had sewn the pieces together, i joined the back and front first of all at the shoulder seam and then at the side seam. The size was pretty much exactly what i wanted however the pattern itself was lacking the complex elements i want.

Having sorted out a base pattern, i feel pretty confident with the construction side of things. I like the way my garment is going and think i could end up making something that perfectly reflects my project.

So it's after hand in and we've just started the holidays. I aim to get my sketchbook totally done and have my fabric sourced by the time we get back!

STRESS STRESS AND MORE STRESS

It's four weeks to go until hand in. And it's getting extremely stressful. I feel as though im getting to that stage where i have so much to do that i don't actually know what i'm doing.

We've lost out on two of the most precious sessions of the week due to rubbishy bank holidays, and that has taken its toll on most of us i think. However i did manage to source my main fabric for my garments which is good.

Garment wise - I have the fabric of which i'm going to use. It's kind of like a translucent jersey, and i'm going to dye it a sand colour to reflect the colours from my FMP research.
I have begun to really dislike my designs and can see them ending up horrible (which is not the sort of thing i want to be thinking at this stage!!!) I look around and see other people getting on with their manufacture work and seem to be really liking what they're doing and i just feel horrendously stuck. I don't think i have much confidence in what i've designed - as usual.
I'm currently working on panelling variations for my dress patterns which is helping me vision my end product a little better. Although tedious i am actually enjoying this part as its suprisingly not stressful when you have the space to do it.
I've toiled up three samples of the top of the garments (so to save fabric and money) each with different panel ideas.
This week i plan on finalising my pattern, cutting out my final toile and making it up ready for monday.



Unit 85 - Still got quite a bit to do with this. I'm gradually collecting artists but my main problem is finding ones that i can either recreate or relate to something of which i have already done. I need to think of ideas as to how im going to present my final illustration, but i think it's going to feature some layering within it to further reflect my brief.
Had a tutorial with Nadine now and feel a lot more clued up on what i need to be doing annotation wise for this unit.
This week i plan on finding and completing at least 10 artists in the file, and finishing what i've started.


PPD & HEALTH AND SAFETY- PPD file is underway, but not looking as full as i envisaged? Health and safety is virtually none exsistent as i don't know what i need to be putting in it or how i will be presenting it. We've had quite a lack of tutor contact and guidance on these units and its beginning to become a bit of a pressure point as we're getting closer to deadlines.


FMP SKETCHBOOK- Still ongoing but this week i plan on tying up loose ends and completing annotation to a high standard, also going to ask Nadine to go through feedback verbally with me.


I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO!
i really hope i still have all my hair by the end of this term.
It's not looking likely.

forgot to post this little guy

Thought i'd add in my main inspiration for the project, artist Nobuhiro Nakanishi. I actually found his work AFTER i'd started FMP but weirdly enough it fits perfectly! The fact that he builds up a detailed and intricate image using singular rather plain images is perhaps the backbone of my work within this project. The idea of 'simplicity/comlexity' relates totally to these pieces as looked at on a singular level they don't appear to be anything out of the ordinary. Layered together they become something totally different.

http://trendland.net/2011/01/31/layer-motives-by-nobuhiro-nakanishi/

final design

This is the final design of which we had to submit before the holidays. Looks a little plain as it's pretty much a quick development from my sketchbook. The panel in the middle is a digitally printed section, and the rest of the dress is made from a lightweight jersey.

This is an acetate overlay i created in order to get silhouette ideas. The skyline section of the picture seems to have created quite a literal shape which i think would come across really nicely in designs. Could be a good idea to take forward!

updated colour palette and target market boards. was kindly pointed out that i had made a small spelling error so edited that and also made the text more distinguishable in relation to the background.

so at this stage, im feeling a little stuck as to what do do for my design development.
i seem to be having lots of ideas but cannot convey them in my garment design.
this is usually what i tend to struggle with, as i put a lot of time into doing my sketchbook, primary research etc, forgetting i actually have to design from it. (as stupid as it sounds)

What i plan on doing is sitting down and listing the primary research i have, and what i can take from them. For example the computer manipulations would make beautiful digital prints. Hopefully this will sort things out in my head, and make it seem a lot more focused and organised.

made a start on design development after much deliberation on how to draw my figures!
starting to feel a little stressed, although making a start with my sketchbook is helping i do feel that working on such a large scale might become a bit of a problem (when im used to working on a4).

they've uploaded in the wrong direction, and i don't have a clue why so can't change it!

Today i started to do drawings from my primary imagery. I was looking at key focal points on the picture that appeared to stand out, then developed them through different medias. Doing this is giving me ideas towards print and fabric textures and colours. the image underneath is concentrating on the vivid blue area of my primary photograph.

action plan

Get brief on 15/02/2011
- begin to look online and in books for secondary images to inspire and inform project.

- decide on what I’m going to do for primary imagery i.e where and when.
- devise time plan

- buy sketchbook


21st Feb (Half Term)
- take all primary imagery!

- get films developed.

-begin working from pictures.

-start FMP journal blog.

28th Feb
- decide on target customer, and create board.

- decide on colour palette, find relevant images and create board.

- continue working from primary images, using photoshop to manipulate and sketching from them.

- decide on colour palette, find relevant images and create board.

- continue working from primary images, using photoshop to manipulate and sketching from them.

- decide what I want to take from primary images, in order to make project more focused.


7th March
- think how to set out sketchbook creatively, and how I will draw design development.
- start design development
- update and continue FMP journal.


14th March
- continue drawing and manipulating primary photos, sketchbook work, design development and journal.

21st March
- continue with design development, focusing it more so it is easier to choose a final design for next weeks deadline.

- continue with journal.


28th March
- focused design development.
- finalise 2 designs of which will be handed in this Thursday.

Easter Holidays
- present two final designs, creating illustrations for unit 85.

- continue and improve sketchbook, focusing on annotation.

computer manipulations

at this point i'm feeling okay, but i know i'm going to have a lot to do. contextual studies has become a bigger pressure recently, aswell as having to resubmit two manufacture briefs.

need to start sketching out some design development ideas!!!

these are images i've played around with on the computer. some of them are scanned in acetates and some are photoshop manipulations.

photography sessions

this week, i was in the photography studios spending time using the projector to create manipulated images. i've had the projection idea for a while, as i thought it would be a good way to layer up and create more 'complex' images, referring back to the concept of my project.

i copied my pictures onto colour acetate, and then used an extremely old school OHP to project them on the white background and various objects in the photography studio. We even tried projecting on eachother, so i could get a feel of what it would be like to do it onto my final garments.

here are some of the images:this is one which i tried projecting onto abby, as she was wearing a white knitted dress. its worked really well as the picture hasn't lost any of its texture or depth, something i was worried would happen.

this is doubling up the acetates and layering them to create more complex images.

one the i shot in the alcove.


using a flash gun and slowed the camera shutter speed right down to capture movement.



same method as above, but using a purple coloured gel over the flash gun.


overall, i think it was a really productive day. we got so many images, and its put me in the right direction as to what i want to do presentation wise when it comes to the exhibition.

initial photography

i heard about this empty reservoir from a friend who had previously shot there, so decided to check it out. i took two rolls of film (one black and white, one colour) and filled them both alongside about 180 shots on my d-slr.getting there was a bit of a treck, as this place was literally at the top of a big hill and in the middle of nowhere, but it was 100% worth it.

here are some of the pictures i took on film:




i was so pleased with the pictures, they came out perfectly and its made me feel so inspired!

The basis of my FMP is looking at the ‘overlooked and changing mundane and everyday things into something unrecognisable. Landscapes, objects, places, angles and colours will be my points of inspiration. The project will follow the theme of looking closer at said subjects and seeing from numerous perspectives. I want to layer the photographs I take on top of each other, changing the opacity so they all become one image. This is creating a much more complex image from something that was at first simple. I want to represent this idea in my garments, making the designs more complex than on face value. I also will use prints from my photographs where suitable. Japanese designers such as Miyake and Yahmamoto follow the same idea of simple looking designs that have more to them than first anticipated, and I intend on having a backlog of research and practice methods from them.

13/03/2011

I'm starting this blog to show my progress over the weeks. The first few have been pretty straight forward; getting research, editing pictures, doing photography workshops.

So we're just over 3 weeks from submitting, and im feeling really good about what im doing.
i'm going to put seperate posts of things i've been working on and give a brief overview of how i'm getting on.